Almost Too Late
by ilyana44
Summary: A short foray into what if Shanks had been only a minute or two later when Luffy challenged the bandits. Rating is for violence and blood. No pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! Here is a (intended) one-shot. I've never done a one shot before so I hope I don't butcher it too badly. For those of you following my other story, A Leader in Peril, you know that I am currently out of the country. I do not have my computer so this will be troublesome to type up without a keyboard. I will for sure be continuing my other story, but don't expect anything new from it until late July, if not early August.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.**

 **Without further ado, I hope you enjoy**.

* * *

Luffy realized he may have made a mistake, not that he'd ever admit it to the stupid baboon currently holding his rubber body under a damn shoe. He just couldn't help it; these guys had badmouthed Shanks and he couldn't exactly let them keep rambling their stupid mouths while sitting in the bar he had begun to think of as Shanks'. He had yelled at them, challenging them, despite the attempts of intervention coming from Makino. He still didn't regret his actions, but was wishing for another chance to fight them. As stupid as the bandits may have been, they still beat Luffy in size and experience. If only he could get out from under the damn shoe... Then he'd show them.

Meanwhile, Makino and the mayor were trying their hardest to convince the bandits to let them go. Luffy just stared at them, holding the cursed shoe, confused at why the mayor was offering the bandit money. When the baboon replied in the negative, Luffy felt dread down his spine, knowing if he didn't do something now, he wouldn't get another chance later.

He watched as the bandit drew his sword closer to his face and Luffy did the only thing he knew how; kept taunting the bandit, hoping to find one last chance to escape. The bandit just stared at him, enraged before speaking, "You're a hopeless brat. You can regret what you've done in the afterlife," he stated, taunting Luffy by bringing his sword ever closer.

He heard Makino's and the mayor's worried yells in the background. They fell on deaf ears, however, as the bandit was starting the swing that would end the young nuisance once and for all. Luffy turned his eyes to the onlookers and saw Makino running, as if in slow motion, to save him. The mayor was just a second behind, with the rest of the village a few blocks away, holding their breaths as the sword descended. In that moment, Luffy accepted death and realized how happy he was as he looked out at the people trying to save him. A grin overcame his rubbery face and he was able to get out two emotion-filled words, "Sorry, guys," before the sword connected and he lost all knowledge of the world.

* * *

His instincts were buzzing and he knew there was a reason he wasn't met at the port. Shanks spotted large groups of villagers looking down a street and went to investigate with his crew. When he reached an open space, his body automatically reacted while his brain was still catching up. His eyes widened when he heard the child's words and saw the smile on his face. He went into a crouch and used his fastest speed to reach the bandit before he could do any more damage to the trapped rubber boy. He passed Makino and the mayor on his way, as they, too, were running towards the boy. His sword left its sheath and blocked the bandits' as it came back around to finish the job. He locked eyes with the monster before disarming him with a flick of his wrist.

Time seemed to catch up with everyone as people realized who had arrived. Nobody spoke as the watched the red-haired captain send his sword into the bandits stomach as his crew-mates quickly dispatched the other bandits. The ringleader's last moments consisting of staring into the eyes of the scariest man he had ever seen, realizing what an idiot and poser he had been before collapsing for the last time.

Without hesitation, Shanks threw the disgusting body away as he bent down to address his main concern. With practiced hands, he checked for a pulse in the small boy and was relieved to find a faint one. His eyes moved to the gaping wound that ran from the child's left armpit to his navel. Luckily, it wasn't deep enough to pierce vital organs, although the blood was still seeping through the small shirt and pooling on the ground. He heard Makino's sob from over his shoulder and the rushing footsteps of his crew's doctor. Standing up as the doctor arrived, Shanks grabbed Makino by the shoulder and dragged her back to the mayor who had paused several feet away.

"My man will do what he can, but I'd advise getting Foosha's doctor as well," he told the waiting mayor.

With a short nod, Woop Slap ran off to find the man in question. Beckoning Benn over, he told his first mate to keep Makino close. Before he walked back to Luffy's side, he heard a small voice.

"I have to tell his grandfather."

Shanks looked at Makino incredulously. Grandfather? Luffy has a grandfather? "What?" He asked, still not sure if he heard right.

Makino's eyes finally met his. "Garp-san," was all she said.

The entire crew seemed to pause before their captain voiced the question on everyone's mind, "Vice Admiral Garp is Luffy's grandfather?"

In response, he received a nod and a worried look. Shanks turned his head to look at the small boy that he had known for over a year. This information had no bearing on how he would treat the boy, but it did explain a lot while raising an entire other host of unanswered questions.

Deciding to address those concerns later on, Shanks knelt down by the boy, watching his doctor work with practiced hands as he dressed the still-bleeding wound. Without needing to be asked, Shanks began applying pressure on the boys now bare chest in hopes to stop the bleeding. He listened as Luffy's breathing got shallower and started when he began coughing up blood. His doctor hissed, quickening his pace. Makino was sobbing in the background, refusing to leave Luffy for even one minute.

Eventually a second doctor arrived and Shanks was pushed to the side, which he didn't complain about. He had seen more severe wounds in his life, but the fact that it was a seven-year-old child made him grimace. His hands were now covered in Luffy's blood, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the small eyes that had opened.

Noticing Luffy's consciousness, the first doctor said, "You'll be alright, Luffy. We just have to get you patched up."

All eyes snapped towards the prone boy being lifted onto a stretcher as a chorus of "Luffy's!" filled the air. Shanks held eye contact with the boy, waiting for something, some hint of recognition, or intention to pull through. Truthfully, Luffy's ready acceptance of death had scared Shanks more than anything else he had seen in a long time. It reminded him too much of his own stubborn captain and the anger he felt at the injustice of his death. In response, Luffy just smiled. He smiled as if there wasn't a gash on his body and there was no blood trickling down his chin. He smiled through the pain of being lifted onto a stretcher and being quickly carried away. Shanks stared, disbelieving, as Luffy opened his eyes and whispered the captain's name before passing out once more.

 **Okay, so this is definitely going to have at least one more chapter. No idea on when it'll be out, since it all depends on if I happen to have enough free time. Shouldn't be too long, but I wouldn't hold your breath.**

 **Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Hello again. I'm sorry this has taken so long… I don't have a good excuse. This is the final chapter. If anyone has suggestions or something they'd like me to write as a one-shot, please let me know!**

 **For now, however, please enjoy the end of Almost Too Late.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.**

* * *

He was surprised, yet pleased. When the bandit had swung that sword, Luffy had accepted the inevitable. Yet here he was, slowly waking up in a hospital bed with bandages covering his body. He did try to sit up, before dismissing that idea when pain wracked through his chest and side. With curiosity, he looked around the room and saw that he was in the doctor's house. There was a chair between his bed and the door, although it was empty. He turned his head back to the ceiling and tried to understand why he was still alive. Just seconds after settling back down, the door opened and a familiar red-head captain was standing in the frame.

"Shanks!" Luffy cried, letting a huge smile come across his face. Instead of smiling back, Shanks stayed still and silent. In response, Luffy's smile slowly dropped away, leaving a confused look in its place.

"What's wrong, Shanks?" The boy asked.

Shanks scoffed loudly before closing his eyes and rubbing a hand across his face in exasperation and fatigue. _What's wrong, he asks_... the captain thought to himself. _I swear, if he hadn't just almost died... The first thing he does is ask me what's wrong_. Shaking his head, he sat down in the chair next to the child's bed. He looked at Luffy and saw the confused look was still there, although his eyes betrayed the pain he was in. Seeing this made Shanks angry, knowing it was, in every way, his fault Luffy was injured. He knew the bandits were in town. And he knew Luffy - knew how he would react if they showed up again. Yet, he still left him alone for a few days. He wasn't very knowledgeable of Luffy's back story; hell, he had no idea that Garp was his grandfather. He didn't even know he had a grandfather. Makino and the mayor seemed to be the only two people who really looked after the boy. Luffy had idolized Shanks the moment the kid learned he was a pirate. Of course Luffy would stand up for him, and he really shouldn't be surprised he would challenge bandits to do so. Despite all of this, Shanks still left the island. And he was almost too late returning. Just a minute later and Luffy would be dead. Conversely, just a minute earlier and he wouldn't even be injured. He supposed he should at least be thankful for arriving when he did. But Shanks wasn't used to the feeling of cutting it that close. He had been sailing the Blue seas for too long, becoming overconfident in his own strength, having no challenges to face. It was time to leave. And Luffy would be upset.

Sighing once more, he summarized his thoughts with a simple response; "You're an idiot. Do you even realize what happened?"

Luffy cocked his head and thought back to the last thing he remembered. Sure, he knew what had happened. But what was Shanks referring to? "The ugly baboon guy did this," he stated simply, nodding to his wound.

The simplicity of the statement left Shanks shaking his head once more. "Yeah, and if I hadn't arrived when I did, you'd be dead. You almost died anyway," he said, trying to make Luffy understand how close it had been. Trying to make him realize what an idiot he had been.

Contrarily, Luffy smiled and laughed his signature laugh. "But I'm not dead. Thanks, Shanks," Luffy said, laughing once more.

After an initial feeling of disbelief passed, Shanks felt his anger rise. Before he could yell at the boy, the door opened again, revealing Benn, his first mate. Seeing Luffy was awake, Benn said, "Oh! Luffy. You're awake. How're you feeling?"

At his words, Shanks' anger vanished. That's the question he should have asked first. He shouldn't be sitting here, about to yell at Luffy for defending him and his crew. Honestly, he was proud of the boy. He showed real guts. A memory sprang to his mind; a memory of a captain with a straw hat. He remembered receiving the straw hat and what it had meant. As he shook himself from the memory, he realized what needed to be done.

Luffy and Benn were talking about something inconsequential. Shanks interrupted them, saying, "Is everything ready, Benn?"

Luffy turned his head to face the captain, as another look of confusion covered his face. Benn responded, "Yes, sir. We'll be ready to leave at sunrise."

"Leave?" Luffy asked, looking back and forth between the two pirates.

Shanks sighed, having dreaded this part. "Yes," he said. "For a minute, the doctor wasn't sure if you make it, so Makino called your grandfather."

If Shanks had expected Luffy's face to light up in excitement, he couldn't have been more wrong. At the mention of his grandfather, the boy looked frightened. No, terrified. As if nothing Shanks could have said could be worse. "B-but….," Luffy stammered. "Why? Gramps can't come here! I-I'm fine! Look!" Luffy tried to swing out of bed before Benn caught him. Tears were forming in his eyes, and Shanks had a sinking feeling that the pain caused by the sudden movement wasn't the only culprit. Luffy had been close to hysteria, a thing that Shanks had never seen before.

"Calm down, Luffy," he said. "Why are you so afraid of your grandfather?"

Luffy took a moment to collect himself before he said, "I'm not afraid! It's just… Gramps…"

"Luffy!" Makino's voice came from the doorway. She ran toward his bed, taking in the unshed tears. "Are you in pain? What's wrong?"

Luffy looked up at her, more tears forming. His voice was small when he asked, "Why would you call Gramps, Makino?"

Makino stared at him before cracking a smile and letting out a small giggle. "Oh, Luffy, don't worry. Garp-san is only coming to make sure you're alright. I won't let him take you for training in the forest this time."

Luffy grumbled, "He'll find a way, I know he will." Makino just laughed harder and hovered over Luffy to make sure he was comfortable.

Shanks and Benn just watched the exchange, feeling very confused. Clearly there was something they were missing. But Shanks shrugged it off, having met Garp several times in his time as a pirate. He knew that no matter the reason behind Luffy's fear, Garp wouldn't actually hurt the kid. "Anyway," he started his explanation once more, "since Garp is coming, we need to leave. And for good this time. I need to see to some business back on the Grand Line, and I want to meet up with an old friend. We've been here for too long anyway."

Luffy stared at Shanks as he spoke. Instead of the stubborn response he had expected, Luffy just nodded his head. "But not until tomorrow, right?" Luffy asked.

Shanks was a little surprised at the ready acceptance, so he just nodded.

Makino smiled, watching Luffy grow up right before her eyes. She noticed how tired Luffy was, even if he wouldn't admit it himself. Knowing there was no other pressing matter to be discussed, she turned to the two pirates and gave them a stern glare. "Okay, you've had your little chat. Luffy needs his sleep. You can see him before you leave tomorrow morning. Now, shoo," she said gesturing to the door with her hands.

Shanks and Benn smiled and left, knowing that they would be leaving Luffy in capable hands.

* * *

The morning saw Luffy whining about the wheelchair he had been placed in.

Woop Slap abruptly turned towards the boy, losing his temper. "Too bad! I don't care how 'uncool' it is, you're going in that wheelchair. Or, you can stay here as they leave!"

Luffy immediately quieted down, and let the doctor help him with his shoes. Trying not to cry, Luffy kept his face scrunched up and bit his lip. He angrily wiped away at the stray tears that escaped. Makino took a place behind the wheelchair and started rolling him out of the room, suppressing a smile.

As they stepped outside and headed towards the dock, she glanced down at Luffy once more. His face had relaxed and he looked sad, but she doubted it had anything to do with the wheelchair. Her eyes turned to the rising sun and she knew that today was the start of a new chapter. By afternoon, the town would be as it was over a year ago once more. It would seem as if nothing had changed, although she had a feeling the same couldn't be said for the little boy fighting back fresh tears in anticipation for the next chapter.

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 **Thank you everyone for reading a reviewing! I hope you enjoyed the story.**

 **artsyari: Thanks for the review! Sorry this chapter took so long.**

 **Guest: I know, poor Luffy. And sorry for the long wait.**

 **crazzyredhead: Thanks for the review! I like the suggestion, and as interesting as that does sound, I just don't have the time right now (boo responsibilities). I also already had this chapter planned out in my brain and I couldn't just ignore it.**

 **ichigo1508: Thanks! Here's the last chapter.**

 **: Thank you so much! Your review actually prompted me to get off my butt and finish this, so thank you!**

 **Thanks again!**


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